Coaster



March 20, 1962 C. M. PEYTON COASTER Filed Fb. 10, 1961 IN VEN TOR.

CHARLES M. PE YTON ilnited States Patent Ofhce 3,626,123 Patented Mar. 20, 1952 3,026,123 COASTER Charles M. Peyton, Whitehaven, Tenn. (4933 Iheryl Drive, Memphis 16, Term.) Filed Feb. 10, 12 61, Ser. No. 88,570 Claims. (Cl. 280-8731) This invention relates to a coaster particularly adapted to be ridden and enjoyed by children.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a simple and inexpensive coaster that is a source of much fun and delight to the user thereof.

A further object is to provide such a coaster that can be used when there is no snow available in much the same manner as a sled, that is, by lying down on the coaster and rolling down hills or by running with the coaster and falling down thereon in a prone position.

A further object is to provide such a coaster that has a unique guiding mechanism which has no steering tongues or the like, but which is disposed entirely beneath the body of the coaster leaving the upper surface of the body portion completely free and unobstructed.

A further object is to provide such a guiding mechanism that includes resilient means normally holding the steering mechanism in such a position that the coaster is guided substantially straight without any attention on the part of the user.

A further object is to provide such a guiding mechanism that can be operated simply by reaching beneath the body portion of the coaster and pulling the resilient means laterally to one side or the other to cause the coaster to turn in one direction or the other.

A further object is to provide a guiding mechanism that operates in such a manner that the turning circle of the coaster depends upon the amount of pull exerted on the resilient means, with a small pull giving a large turning circle and a greater pull giving a small or tight turning circle.

A further object is generally to improve the design and construction of coasters.

The means by which the foregoing and other objects of the present invention are accomplished and the manner of their accomplishment will be readily understood from the following specification upon reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a sectional view taken as on the line I--I of FIG. 2.

FIG. 2 is a bottom view of the device of the present invention with the steering mechanism shown in a normal position for guiding the coaster substantially straight.

FIG. 3 is a bottom View of the device of the present invention showing the manner in which the device is steered, and with portions of the device being broken away for purposes of illustration.

FIG. 4 is a front view of the device.

Referring now to the drawings in which the various parts are indicated by numerals, the coaster 11 of the present invention includes a substantially rectangular body portion 13 having substantially flat upper and lower surfaces 15, 17. A pair of cut-out portions 19 are provided in body portion 33 respectively on opposite side edges thereof, and a pair of handrails 21 are attached adjacent opposite ends thereof by suitable means to body portion 13 respectively in cut-out portions 19. A front support 23 for body portion 13 is pivotally connected to body portion 13 adjacent the forward part thereof by suitable pivot means as a bolt 25, pin, or the like so that the front support 23 is pivotable about a substantially vertical axis. The actual pivotal connection above described of support 23 is adjacent the mid-portion 27 of the support, and the support angles downwardly and laterally in opposite directions from the mid-portion where it terminates in a pair 2 of spaced depending portions 29 which respectively receive a transverse front axle 31 extending through apertures in the depending portions. A pair of front wheels 33 are rotatably mounted on front axle 31.

A rear support 35 and its related parts are substantially similar in construction and operation to the heretofore described front support 23 and its related parts. Therefore, a detailed description of rear support 35 and its related parts is not deemed to be necessary except to say that it includes suitable means for pivoting support 35 about a substantially vertical axis, as by means of bolt 37 or the like, and includes a rear transverse axle 39 having rear wheels 41 rotatably mounted thereon.

An elongated longitudinally extending brace 43 is fixedly attached by suitable means, as bolt 42, to body portion 13 on the lower surface 17 of the body portion and adjacent the mid-portion of the brace. Brace 43 extends at an angle forwardly and downwardly from adjacent its place of attachment with body portion 13 to front axle 31 where it is pivotally attached thereto as by means of a stud 45 or the like which is fnrediy attached to the axle as by welding or the like and provided with a nut 47 or the like engaged on the threaded stud. In a similar manner to that above described for the extension of brace 43 to axle 31, the brace extends rearwardly and downwardly to rear axle 39 where it is pivotally attached in a manner similar to the attachment of the brace to the front axle.

A V-shaped bridle 49 having angularly disposed legs 51, 53 is fixedly attached to front support 23 as by the respective ends of the legs being hooked or looped respectively through spaced apertures 55, 57 in support 23. In a similar manner, a bridle 59 having legs 61, 63 is fixedly attached to rear support 35 in the same manner as the attachment of bridle 49 with front support 23. Bridles 4?, 59 extend toward one another so that the respective apexes 65, 67, i.e. where the legs of the bridles join, are in spaced adjacency. Resilient means as a spring 69 or the like interconnects bridles 49, 59 as by one end of the spring having a hook 71 engaging apex 65 and the opposite end of the spring having a hook 73 engaging apex 67. Thus, the steering assembly, which includes bridles 49, 59 and spring 69, is spaced below body portion 13. Spring 69 urges bridles 49, 59 into the normal position shown in FIG. 2, wherein it will be seen the wheels 33, 41 are aligned longitudinally of coaster 11 so that the coaster will be guided substantially straight without any attention on the part of the user.

It will be understood that a great deal of pleasure can be obtained from the se of coaster 11 of the present invention. For example, a child can pick up the coaster 11 by holding one rail 21 with one hand and the other rail 21 with the other hand, and while holding the coaster up in front of him, the child can run to gain speed and then fall down in a prone position on upper surface 15 in much the same manner as a sled is used. It will be understood that since the wheels 33, 41 are held in a position so that the coaster will be guided straight, the childs hands are free to manipulate the coaster as above described. To turn coaster 11, while the child is lying on the coaster in the manner above described, he merely reaches around the edge of body portion 13 and underneath tne body portion in the manner best shown in FIG. 3 and laterally pulls on spring 69. A pull on spring 69 towards one side of coaster 11, as for example towards the side shown in FIG. 3, causes the coaster to turn towards one way, and by lateral pull on spring 69 in the opposite direction as by reaching the other arm around the edge of the coaster as above described, the coaster will be caused to turn in the opposite direction from that shown in FIG. 3. The spring 69 and bridles 49, 59 are arranged so that the spring will not slip relative to the o a bridles when the spring is pulled. In other words, it is arranged so that legs 51, 53 and legs 61, 63 remain substantially the same length, or stated another way, hooks 71, 73 respectively remain fixed relative to apexes 65, ;67. This condition is preferably accomplished by forming bridles 49, 59 of a substantially rigid material so that the bend at apexes 65, 67 will remain constant, or, it desired, an eyelet connection, or other suitable means,

may be employed without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. It will be understood that the harder the child pulls on spring 69 the tighter or the smaller will be the turning circle. To make a larger turning circle, it Will be understood that only a slight pull is needed to be exerted on the spring 69. For the coaster to be guided straight, it will be apparent that the child merely lets go of spring 69, which will urge bridles 49, 59 towards one another and cause the wheels to turn so that the coaster runs straight. It will be unerstood that if desired'all of the steering may be accomplished by the use of only one hand, that is, by pulling spring 69 to cause coaster 11 to turn in one direction or by pushing spring 69 in the opposite direction past the longitudinal center line of the coaster to turn in the opposite direction.

From the foregoing description it will be understood that a coaster is provided which is simple and inexpensive to manufacture, and one that is the source of much fun and delight to the user thereof.

Although the invention has been described and illustrated with respect to a preferred embodiment thereof, it is to be understood that it is not to be so limited since changes and modifications may be made therein which are within the full intended scope of this invention as hereinafter claimed.

I claim:

l. A coaster comprising a substantially flat body portion, a pair of hand-grip rails mounted on opposite sides of said body portion, a pair of supports for said body portion, means pivotally connecting said supports and said body portion for respective pivot or" said supports relative to said body portion about substantially vertical axes, said supports being movable independently of each other, a pair of axles respectively mounted on said pair of supports, wheels carried by said axles, a longitudinalbrace fixedly attached to said body portion adjacent the midportion of said brace and pivotally attached adjacent the opposite ends thereof to said respective axles, a pair of bridles respectively attached to said supports and extending inwardly towards one another beneath said body portion, resilient means interconnecting said bridles for urging said supports into a normal position in which said wheels are disposed to guide said coaster substantially straight, said coaster being guidable by lateral displacement of said resilient means towards one side of said coaster to cause the coaster to turn towards one way and by lateral displacement of said resilient means towards the opposite side of said coaster to cause the coaster to turn towards the opposite way.

2. A coaster comprising a body portion, a pair of supports for said body portion, means pivotally connecting said supports and said body portion for respective pivot of said support relative to said body portion about substantially vertical axes, said supports being movable independently of each other, a pair of axles respectively mounted on said pair of supports, wheel carried by sai axles, a longitudinal brace fixedly attached to said body portion adjacent the mid-portion of said brace and pivotally attached adjacent the opposite ends thereof to said respective axles, a pair of bridles respectively attached to said supports and extending inwardly towards one another beneath said body portion, resilient means interconnecting said bridles for urging said supports into a normal position in which said Wheels are disposed to guide said coaster substantially straight, said coaster being guidable by lateral displacement of said resilient means to- Wards one side of said coaster to cause the coaster to turn towards one way and by lateral displacement of said resilient means towards the opposite side of said coaster to cause the coaster to turn towards the opposite way.

3. A coaster comprising a body portion having an unobstructed upper surface, a pair of supports for said body portion, means pivotally connecting said supports and said body portion for respective pivot of said supports relative to said body portion about substantially vertical axes, said supports being movable independently of each other, a pair of axles respectively mounted on said'pair of supports, wheels carried by said axles, a pair of bridles respectively attached to said supports and extending inwardly towards one another beneath said body portion, resilient means interconnecting said bridles for ur ing said supports into a normal position in which said wheels are disposed to guide said coaster substantially straight, said coaster being guidable by lateral d splacement of said resilient means towards one side of said coaster to cause the coaster to turn towards one way and by lateral displacement of said resilient means towards the opposite side of said coaster to cause the coaster to turn towards the opposite way.

4. A coaster comprising a body portion having an unobstructed upper surface, a pair of supports for said body portion, means pivotally connecting at least one of said supports and said body portion for pivot of said one of said supports relative to said body portion about a substantially vertical axis, said one of said supports being movable independently of the other of said supports, a pair of axles respectively mounted on said pair of supports, wheels carried by said axles, a pair of bridles respectively attached to said supports and extending inwardly towards one another beneath said body portion, resilient means interconnecting said bridles for urging said one of said supports into a normal position in which said wheels are disposed to guide said coaster substan tially straight, said coaster being guidable by lateral displacement of said resilient means towards one side of said coaster to cause the coaster to turn towards one way and by lateral displacement of said resilient means towards the opposite side of said coaster to cause the coaster to turn towards the opposite way.

5. In a coaster of the type including a substantially horizontal body portion and wheels, means disposed beneath said body portion for supporting and guiding said wheels, said means comprising a pair of supports for said body portion, means pivotally connecting said supports and said body portion for respective pivot of said support about substantially vertical axes, said supports being movable independently of each other, a pair of axles respectively mounted on said supports, said wheels being mounted on said axles, resilient means, a pair of means respectively interconnecting said pair of supports and said resilient means adjacent opposite ends thereof, said resilient means urging said supports into a normal position in which said wheels are disposed to guide said coaster substantially straight, said resilient means being manually displaceable towards one side of said coaster to cause the coaster to turn towards one way and towards the opposite side or" said coaster to cause the coaster to turn towards the opposite way, and said body portion remaining substantially horizontal during the turning of said coaster.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

